Business/Consumer Confidence - Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

It seems these days that we are perpetually bombarded with surveys on both business and consumer confidence/sentiment, and the results are fodder for a hungry media looking for an angle (or agenda). But is the incessant reporting of this a self-fulfilling prophecy? I wonder what many people and businesses would answer to these survey questions if they had not read constantly how poorly others view the situation. I'm not na?ve - our economy has its challenges. But do we talk ourselves into a state of negativity?

To that end, it is refreshing to hear some of our leaders talking about the opportunities that exist. After all, even in the great depression some people still made money. I sincerely hope that those leaders genuinely believe what they preach...no more spin.